88 Blazer Trike

[Fowler]

so I lined up my wheel

the square is lined up and you can see the water pattern on the tire where I spun the wheel.



The wife has family coming this weekend but I am hoping to get the shocks mounts done this weekend also.

 

[Fowler]

I have been thinking a lot about what I want my trike to look like at the end (I know it never really ends)

I dont know if I can pull it off but I am going to try

I have always thought a Train, Truck Trike would look good. Kind if Mad Max type of look but comfortable to ride

I think I have the back Truck end figured out in my head. BUT I am still going over ideas for the front Train looking part.

Its not going to look exactly like a train but kind of have a train vibe

I would like a Cow Catcher type of thing. Again it may not exactly be a cow catcher but I want it to have a same look

I read the VA codes a lot when I was building my Heathen Trike and I know the lighting I want on this trike is not code. I want 4 Rectangle headlights 2 on top of 2, in a box that surrounds all 4.

BUT the last I read the code I can only have 2

With all that said I do not want it to be extremely heavy

 

[Fowler]

worked on the shock mounts today.

Just 1 side and only clamped in place for now.

The bottom mount is adjustable 1 inch forward or 1 inch backward. When I know its correct I weld it in place. I will clamp and tack weld the top until I know they are in the right place

each shock has a 200lb spring rate (400lbs together) So I raised the front up 1 inch from ride height, I am hoping that the weight of the front end will compress the springs 1 inch and back to ride height.

 

[LarryA]

I like the locomotive look on front....but would not the locomotive have only 1 large headlight? I suppose it would depend on the era of locomotive you want....I keep hearing Willie Nelson ...City of New Orleans.....some of my best travels..... on the Empire Builder!

 

[Fowler]

I like the locomotive look on front....but would not the locomotive have only 1 large headlight? I suppose it would depend on the era of locomotive you want....I keep hearing Willie Nelson ...City of New Orleans.....some of my best travels..... on the Empire Builder!

I would like 1 large headlight but im trying to keep it legal for the most part. I might get away with 4 headlights groups together to look kinda like 1, but I don't think I could get away with 1 large headlight. For 1 thing the lens would not be DOT approved/

I would love to actually get a old train light. They are extremely expensive and I don't thing it would pass inspection

 

[rallsqh]

 

[Fowler]

It's a Trike now

It is finally on 3 wheels.

The front end came out the way I wanted. It is strong and straight.

I only have it tack welded now but it looks good. I will weld up the rest and do the dress-up when i get more time

My phone died so I cant take any pictures but i will once my new phone is setup.

 

[Fowler]

I got a new phone so I can take pics again

I like the way they look like this

I still need to put the top covers on them. maybe tomorrow

 

[LarryA]

Looking good....you will enjoy the strength and stability of that fork for miles to come.

With front engine definitely the way to go. It's nice to have something major like that, decided and done.

 

[grandpanystrom61]

I have been watching your build, mainly because I have to rebuild my front end and I am in that process.

I had thought that the shocks would look better the way you have it set up, but than others who built the leading link style said that the shock needed to be on a slight angle so that you actually formed a triangle with the fork tube, leading link, and the shock.

I say if mounted in the fashion that you did yours, well the shock should react directly with the axle movement, but never built a front end, so what do I know.

My question is, have you been able to see how the shocks work and the leading link movement ?

I like how all looks nice and solid, should be a nice ride.

 

[Fowler]

Not done yet though. I still have to finish the wrap around and some dress up,

Next weekend I hope to have the top to my fork mounts done.

Also the top and bottom of my triple tree sill has extra steel on it. I don't want to cut that off until I am 100% sure I don't need it

I bolted the top plate on my welding a 5/8" nut into a 1" then welding the 1" nut into the top of the fork legs.

 

[Fowler]

Not a lot of time this weekend but I am going to try to get some done.

I want to connect the 2 "wrap around" halves and put some shape to it as I do it.

Want to level out the back part as I bring it together

Im still thinking on how I want to top shock mounts

Im hoping to get time Sunday

The work on this is going slower than I want but I just do not have that much time now a days.

 

[Fowler]

so I got as much of my other chores done as I could Saturday so I could work n the trike Sunday.

Power went out Saturday night and did not come back on until Sunday night.

SO did not get anything done to the trike.

I do have to work next Sunday but I do have Saturday off. Hope to have time to work on it then.

 

[Fowler]

did some work on the trike today.

Made the shock mount tops.



also started the "wrap around"

How much space do I need to leave between the back of the wheel and the wrap around

 

[grandpanystrom61]

Never built a wrap around, but have researched a bit and all that I have seen seem to be a inch or two.

One thing is suspension travel, one wants to make sure that there is enough clearance for the rear of the tire to travel fully with out binding up.

Other than that, all that I seen was it being more what the rider likes and how it looks to them.

OH, okay one other thing that you have to remember, the travel of the steering side to side.

Remember as you turn the wheel the rear is moving the opposite direction.

For me with how my trike frame is the rear wrap around on the front end would wipe out my feet. All is just tight on my trike, but it is also why I am rebuilding my front end, partly to move the front end out from under the trike body and away from my feet some more.

Looking good, it is coming along nicely.

Also some use the wrap around for a fender bracket or attaching area for the fender. So that would be the closer wrap around and only about 1/2" on some front ends, this fender mounting distance also has to consider suspension travel of the tire so they do not hit one another.

 

[Fowler]

Im at work today just waiting on someone for I can finish up and go home. Just killing time right now.

I was thinking about 2" Then if I do mount my fender to it I will just user a spacer if needed. Or just have a lot of clearance on my fender. I actually do not know how I will do the fender part yet. I have some crazy ideas but not to that point yet.

Now I need to think about the steering. I want link steering. 2 shafts connected to the top plate going back to another plate and handle bars.

Need to do some research on that

Yesterday my son and I (about 400lbs together) both got on the trike, one of us one each side and bounced up and down like crazy. Everything held up good. No issues.

 

[LarryA]

I have the fender (750 honda) fitted inside the wraparound now....bolted directly, but have a harley style fiberglass fender that will someday find it's way on there.

My wraparound is not tubular and therefore contributes less rigidity than desired.

I have made a mudflap of stock car plastic....1/8" sheet...this bolts on with the fender lower mount.

when I hit a fairly large pump, the mudflap will scrape on the road, makes a noise like scraping metal.

You may want to give some consideration to mudflap design and fender mounting when you are finishing the "wrap".......my .02

trike is looking good, you are making good headway!

 

[Fowler]

so next is my steering rods, rods connected at the forks going back a few feet to another neck and plate where the handle bars are at

I call it a push pull type steering

I plan to use heim joints with rods connected to them

What will give me the best steering straight, smaller at the front or smaller at the rear?

If I go with straight am I correct that wider is better?

if anyone has any pics of Trikes setup like this I would love top see them

 

[LarryA]

not sure...but i think there was a thread here on trike talk about these linkage choices, maybe the non parallel linkages would bind up at some point in their travel? thought the thread discussed this?

Hopefully some one will remember.

 

[Fowler]

not sure...but i think there was a thread here on trike talk about these linkage choices, maybe the non parallel linkages would bind up at some point in their travel? thought the thread discussed this?

Hopefully some one will remember.

I found it

https://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/25209-Push-Pull-Steering

 

[TomyJ]

Wrap around

Something like this... Or no! The more the support the smoother the ride...

 

[Fowler]

Having a hard time posting

will try again

had 4 days off but had to repair fences 2 of the days

Yesterday I did have some time so I worked on the wrap around





Next I plan to work on some type of guard around the neck seals

 

[Fowler]

Once this guy is back I will be ordering another frame neck

This one will go at the handle bar end

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Frame-Neck-Bearings-Custom-Chopper-Harley-/152785382581

 

[LarryA]

the wraparound looks good, should be plenty rigid.

the 7 in tube will get your handle bars up to a good height.

I like the parallel steering rod idea, then handle bars do not need to be pulled back so far. Some bars are so pulled back it would be like tiller steering!

 

[Fowler]

The guy i bought the neck from last time is not answering my emails.

His ebay listing says he is out

If he does not answer by tomorrow I will have to order something else.

Was looking at this

They sell the bearing to go with it also

Don't really need the stop, If its in my way I will cut it off

https://twistedchoppers.com/shop/fr...MItd-UmsX53gIVwcDACh3ACAn6EAYYASABEgIBsfD_BwE

 

[Fowler]

ordered the neck and bearing yesterday

 

[Fowler]

I have 4 days off coming up.

I hope to get some work done on the Trike then

I have the 2nd neck and some metal to work with

I just need to keep out of site of the Ol'Lady for she doe snot put me to work.

 

[TomyJ]

I have 4 days off coming up.

I hope to get some work done on the Trike then

I have the 2nd neck and some metal to work with

I just need to keep out of site of the Ol'Lady for she doe snot put me to work.

I think you mean "Honey Dooo's"

 

[Fowler]

I am headed to the shop to start working on the trike in a few minutes.

On the trike below the front and back necks and plates look to be about the same angle.

I was planning to make the back plate flat(not at an angle) and have bent risers on the front plate to make that connection not at an angle

 

[LarryA]

agree on the plates being parallel with the link rods......or at least the last few inches of the plates twisted to be parallel.